To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Issac Commons, of Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mustache-Trainers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The mustache has grown into favor of late years on account of its alleged benefit to the health of the wearer, and more particularly as a facial adornment.

One disagreable feature pertains to the cultivation of a luxuriant mustache. It greatly interferes with the free partaking of liquid or semi-liquid refreshment, and is liable to become soiled and rendered unsightly when it is brought into contact with articles of food or drink.

The object of my invention is to provide a small, shapely, light, and conveniently-attachable device, designated a “mustache-trainer,” which when in position will retain the mustache away from contact with the mouth, thereby permitting the wearer to partake of soup and other like articles of food without soiling his mustache.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction, which will be hereinafter described, and indicated in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 exhibits the device in position upon a mustache. Fig. 2 represents the device in preferred form opened and ready for application to a mustache. Fig. 3 shows the preferred form of mustache-trainer clasped or as it is adjusted when in use. Fig. 4 represents the appliance made of material that is different from that employed in construction of the preferred form.

A in Figs. 2 and 3 represents a spring-clip, which is preferably made of watch-spring steel, although it may be constructed of other suitable elastic material, such as hard rubber, celluloid, gum, or similar substance.

The spring-clip A is bent from a single piece of material of suitable dimensions for its use, a permanent “set” or return-folding bend being produced at a, thus affording two limbs b c of nearly equal length. On the end of the limb b, which is the longest, a clasp-hook b′ is bent inwardly on the side nearest the limb c, the latter-named being rounded on its end portion to adapt it to be readily inserted below the hook b′, as will be further explained.

The limbs b c of the device shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are outwardly curved, so that they normally diverge, and in order to prevent injury to the hair of the mustache these limbs are covered with any suitable material f, such as gum-cloth or silk fabric. Said covering for the limbs b c is colored black, brown, or gray to suit the hair of the mustache, and thus render the device nearly invisible when applied.

It should be understood that two of the “training-clasps” are employed to retain the mustache removed from the mouth, as shown in Fig. 1.

To apply the device the mustache is separated on a median line and one-half grasped in the fingers of one hand, the “trainer” is slipped in place so as to have its limbs b c lie above and below the grasped portion of the mustache, and is thereto affixed by a lateral pressure applied to the limb c, which will spring the elastic material sufficiently to interlock its rounded end with the hook b′ of the limb b.

The remaining portion of the mustache is similarly provided with a trainer, which is held thereby completely removed from the mouth of the wearer, as shown in Fig. 1.

The trainer shown in Fig. 4 is similar in form to that exhibited in Figs. 2 and 3. The body of the same, being made of hard rubber or similar composition, is not protected with a covering of soft material, as its edges are thicker and may be rounded so as to avoid injuring the hair they are applied to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—

As an improved article of manufacture, a mustache-trainer consisting of a piece of flat spring metal bent to form two limbs of unequal length, the longer limb having its end bent over upon itself approximately parallel with the body thereof to form a hook, under which the end of the shorter limb is adapted to be sprung, and a covering for the said limbs, as specified.

Isaac Commons.

Witnesses:

John M. McDonald,

D. S. Bates.